Such toy building systems have been known for decades. The simple building blocks have been supplemented with dedicated building elements with either a specific appearance or a mechanical or electrical function to enhance the play value. Such functions include e.g. motors, switches and lamps, but also programmable processors that accept input from sensors and can activate function elements in response to received sensor inputs.
Self-contained function building elements exist which have a function device adapted to perform a preconfigured function, an energy source for providing energy to the function device for performing the function, and a trigger responsive to an external trigger event to trigger the function device to perform the function. Typically, such known function building elements are designed for manual activation of the trigger and only provide a limited play value.
Toy building systems exist that comprise a plurality of building elements including one or more function building elements each for performing a corresponding function, and one or more control building elements each for controlling one or more function building elements, each building element including at least one connector for electrically connecting the building element with another building element via a corresponding connector of the other building element, the connector including at least one control signal contact.
In order to provide an interesting play experience it is generally desirable to provide such a toy building system which allows a user to construct a large variety of models that differ in appearance as well as functionality.
Programmable toys are known e.g. from the product ROBOTICS INVENTION SYSTEM from LEGO MINDSTORMS, which is a toy that can be programmed by a computer to perform unconditioned as well as conditioned actions.
However, it is a problem of the above prior art toy that it requires a relatively complex programming step, e.g. based on user-defined programs created on an external computer and transferred to such a microprocessor controlled toy element, or via a user-interface of the programmable toy itself. Consequently, the generation of such programs requires a relatively high level of familiarity with computers as well as a relatively high level of abstract cognitive capabilities in order to program a desired behaviour, thereby limiting such toys to older children.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a toy construction system that includes functional elements that can be configured and controlled in a variety of different ways and in a manner that can easily be understood by children.
It is further desirable to provide a toy building system with new building elements that are suitable for use in the system, and that will enhance the play value of the system.